


Teenage badass

by alphabetgirl



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Comedy, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:54:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26711767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alphabetgirl/pseuds/alphabetgirl
Summary: A collection of fics about the stuff Lexi gets up to as a teenager. With Ben and Lola as parents, I can't imagine Lexi not turning into a complete badass.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell, Jay Brown/Lola Pearce
Comments: 8
Kudos: 43





	1. Chapter 1

"Was I being totally naive to think that she would at least get through year 7 before starting to cause trouble?"

"Yep," Ben replied, popping the P.

Lola huffed, crossing her arms over her midriff and sinking lower in her seat as Ben navigated the mid morning London traffic.

"Do you have to sound so proud?" the blonde muttered.

"We don't actually know that she's done anything yet," Ben replied, changing gear. "You can take anything that vindictive head of year says with a dumper truck load of salt,".

"Just because you don't like the head of year doesn't mean she's...watch out for that motorbike!".

"Alright, Hyacinth, I've seen him. Can you leave the driving to the person who actually has a driving licence. And leave the radio alone!"

Lola scowled as her hand was gently knocked away from the dial on the dashboard and turned her head to look out of the window instead.

"We're gonna get stopped," Ben groaned a few seconds later.

"Why?" Lola asked, alarmed, looking around for any police cars tailing them.

Ben stared at her incredulously.

"Roadworks," he said slowly, as if he was talking to a complete idiot. "Up ahead,". He indicated with his eyes, where the cars in front were starting to slow and form a queue by a set of temporary traffic lights.

"Oh," Lola relaxed back into her seat. Not that she'd expected Ben to be in trouble. He hadn't been for years but it would just be her luck this morning if a bored copper with nothing better to do pulled a couple of Mitchells over.

"For god's sake. If all the workmen are doing is standing around drinking tea, I will not be responsible for my actions. Lexi's head of year asked us to be at the school as soon as possible,".

Ben snorted.

"Well, she'll have to wait, won't she? I don't see what you are getting so worked up about,".

"You wouldn't," Lola muttered, pulling her phone out.

"Mind you, a delay could be a good thing,"

"How'd you figure that one out?"

"It'll give me a chance to call Ritchie,". "No. For the last time, you are NOT calling the family solicitor in to deal with our daughter's head of year seven,".

"But why?" Ben pouted.

"Because," Lola began "It would take being ' _that'_ parent to a whole new level. And we would be the laughing stock of the staffroom and the other parents if word got out" Seriously, how did he have the nerve to continuously imply that she was the dense parent?

"That's providing Ritchie even came. She'd probably just laugh and then hang up if you called her over this,".

"Alright, alright," Ben sulked "I won't call her,". As luck would have it, the traffic jam cleared quite quickly and the rest of the journey passed without any further holdups.

"Remember to keep your temper," Lola lectured as Ben turned the car into the carpark, earning herself a scoff.

"You've got a shorter fuse than me," he replied.

Ben maneuvered the car so he was parked over one of the white lines between two available spaces, essentially taking them both up.

"Why are you parking like a dickhead?" Lola asked as the pair clambered out.

"Because, Hyacinth, this," Ben waved an arm, indicating the whole motor "costs a flipping fortune and I don't want a clumsy idiot coming along and twatting it with a car door,".

Lola chose not to comment. Ever since Lexi had started at secondary school, Ben had taken the most expensive car from the car lot whenever he had to go there. And Lola knew why. It was his way of saying "Yes, I'm a young parent but I'm also successful so you can shove your judgements where the sun doesn't shine,".

"I know that you and Lexi refer to Miss Barwick as Miss Haversham behind her back, but make sure that you don't accidentally call her that to her face," Lola instructed as they made their way towards the main reception.

The tarmac of the carpark was pretty uneven and it was causing her to wobble about in her heels. They probably weren't the best choice of footwear but Miss Barwick, the head of year seven was pretty tall and Lola wanted to be on the same eye level. She didn't want the woman to be talking down to her physically as well as metaphorically.

"Do you honestly think I don't know that, Lo?" Ben asked, allowing her to link her arm with his for extra balance.

Lola ignored him. "And while we are on the subject of Dos and Don'ts, make sure that you absolutely do not..."

Ben sighed and zoned out while the blonde continued to rattle off a list of how he should or shouldn't behave.

Lexi was sat in the waiting area outside Miss Barwick's office when the receptionist showed them to the right room, her feet resting on the coffee table in front of her. The Head of Year's PA was sat at an adjacent desk, tapping away on her keyboard. Lexi smiled when she saw them and Ben responded by hugging her as if he was there to ransom her from a prisoner of war camp while Lola just sighed and nudged her daughter's legs down with the toe of her high heel.

"That graffiti on the name plate has been there since I came here here," Ben stated quietly in an amused tone, indicating the brass Head of Year plaque on the office door.

"I highly doubt that it's the same graffiti," Lola responded dryly.

"Oh it is. I should know. I graffitied it,".

Lexi laughed while Lola just rolled her eyes elaborately and elbowed him roughly in the ribs, hard enough to make him flinch.

"Right," she said "Back to the matter at hand. What's the story?"

"I didn't do anything," Lexi insisted, from her snug place still in her father's arms. "Barwick just picked me at random because she's a bitch,"

The PA's head snapped up at that, glaring at her from behind the desk but not daring to say anything while her parents were there. Ben stared back coolly, and when it became apparent that neither he or Lola were going to pull their daughter up for name calling, she turned back to her typing.

"Is that the truth? Because if I find out it isn't..." Lola was cut off by the sound of the office door creaking open.

"Mr and Mrs Mitchell?"

As the two senior Mitchell's turned to face Miss Barwick, the atmosphere immediately turned icy. Ben and Lola had despised their daughter's head of year since her first day at Secondary school, not least because she had a tendency to talk to them like they were students themselves. From the cool stare they received from the woman, the feeling was mutual.

"Would you like to come through?"

"Yes. Let's get this over with," Ben said shortly. "Although it is actually Mitchell-Highway,"

"And Mrs Brown," Lola chimed in, urging Lexi to stand up and walk into the office.

Miss Barwick let them all get settled in their seats before rounding the large office desk and sitting down in her own ostentatious swivel chair.

"So," Lola asked, putting on a false bright tone "What is the problem?"

"The Head of PE decided that we wouldn't be having a girls football team with year and would instead have a cheerleading squad," Miss Barwick began, folding her legs under her chair. "Some of the girls were not happy about this and somebody took it upon herself to hang a string of underwear around the head of PE's office in protest.".

Miss Barwick glowered at Lexi.

Ben frowned. Talk about guilty until proven innocent.

The member of staff slid a photo across the desk towards them. The picture showed a rather shabby looking office with just a desk and filing cabinet. It's only adornment was a string of approximately 30-40 pairs of women's underwear, hung across the walls like bunting. The primark label was visible on a couple of the pairs, and the central pair was bright pink and had PRINCESS written on them in sparkly silver writing.

"Whoever did it could have pushed the boat out a bit. Anne Summers would have been better," Ben said, biting back a laugh.

Lola groaned, bringing her fingers up to massage her temples, trying to ward of the headache that was currently storming towards her at 100 miles per hour. She was deeply regretting sitting Lexi inbetween them because it meant that she couldn't elbow him again.

"This is a very serious matter, Mr Mitchell," Miss Barwick glared, fingering her staff lanyard as if she very much wanted to wrap it around his throat.

"Mitchell-Highway,"

"Lexi, what have you got to say for yourself?" She asked, choosing to ignore his correction.

"I didn't do it and I wasn't the only one who was angry," Lexi muttered.

"That's a valid point actually. I'm sure that many of the girls were cross about such blatant sexism. How do you know it was Lexi that did that?" Lola enquired.

"Because Lexi was the most outspoken. To the point where she actually approached the Head of PE and told him that it was sexist,".

"But it is sexist! Suggesting that football is a boy's only sport and all girls are good for is prancing about wearing short skirts by the side of the pitch!"

"The decision for disbanding the girl's football had nothing to do with sexism," Miss Barwick stated firmly.

"Yeah, right," Lola muttered sarcastically.

"Is that honestly all you've got?" Ben asked incredulously "The fact that she pointed out that the disbanding of the girl's football team was sexist?"

"No, actually," Miss Barwick replied, giving him smug smile. "We know for a fact that Lexi was on the school grounds early this morning. She was seen at a out 08:35 "

"Because I needed to print something off in the library for my History homework," Lexi protested, picking up her school bag off the floor and rooting around in it. "There will be a record on my library a count as well, seeing as you make us pay 10p per sheet of paper,"

Ben tutted. "That's daylight robbery, that is,".

"Ahhh," Lexi found the folded up sheet of A4 she was looking for and handed it to Miss Barwick triumphantly. The teacher took it and unfolded it, seeing that it was a timeline of Henry VIII's wives.

"I dropped her off," Ben said suddenly.

"I'm sorry?" The Head of year eyed him over the top of the paper.

"I dropped her off," Ben replied "I dropped her off early because she needed to go to the library, so I dropped her off here at about 08:30. My guess is she couldn't have strung up the underwear in five minutes flat and still had time to get to the library by 08:35. And before that she was with me. From Three thirty until I dropped her off.".

"Oh," Miss Barwick looked crestfallen.

"So if you have no further evidence," Ben said, getting more irate "You have to let her go because you haven't got enough to charge her..."

"Ben," Lola said, leaning over Lexi to rest a soothing hand on his arm. "Ben, darling. You are in your daughter's head of year's office. Not a police interview room,".

Lexi snickered because seriously? Her family was great.

"Oh, well in that case," Miss Barwick said, her voice suddenly strained. "I'm sorry for the confusion.".

"So, if that's everything, we'll just be off," Lola said, not prepared to vocally accept the apology, given how begrudgingly it was being given. She could see how painful it was for the woman to just say the words.

Miss Barwick nodded mutely. Just as the family of three were rising from their seats, the PA stuck her head around the door. "Sorry to interrupt Miss Barwick, but a man from the LEA is here. He said it was urgent. Something about the girl's football team being disbanded. He wants to see you and the head," Her words made Miss Barwick suddenly blanched of all colour.

"You are clearly very busy. We'll get out of your hair now," Lola said, ushering Lexi towards the door. "Thank you, Miss Havish...I mean, Miss Barwick,"

To their credit, Ben and Lexi managed to make it to the corridor before bursting out laughing at her near miss.

"Don't you have to go back to class, missus?" Lola asked, pressing a kiss to her daughter's forehead. "Go on. Hop it,".

"Have a good day, baby," Ben said, giving her a hug "I'll see you when you get home,"

"OK. And thanks," Lexi murmured in his ear.

"Anytime," Ben replied fondly, before letting her go and watching her scamper down the corridor and around the corner.

"It's no wonder that woman never married," Ben said upon arrival back at the car, sliding into the driver's seat.

"Do you reckon that the little madam did it?" Lola asked as she reached over her shoulder for her seat belt.

"Oh I know she did," Ben smirked.

"What?! How?!"

"She told me," Ben replied as he began reversing the car out of the parking space.

"She...but...why...,"

Ben sniggered. Lola was hilarious when she got flustered.

"Why didn't either of you tell me?" Lola finally exploded. "And have I ever told you that you are so annoying when you are smug,".

"Many times. And I didn't tell you because I didn't get chance. This was all very last minute,"

That explanation didn't do much to soothe a now pouting Lola. Ben sighed, feeling a flicker of guilt.

"I only found out because she kind of had to tell me," he said softly.

"So you could provide her with an alibi?" Lola muttered, getting a bottle of nail polish out of her bag because she knew that it would really piss him off if she started painting her nails in one of his precious cars.

"No, because she bought the underwear with my credit card,".

Lola dropped the bottle in shock, making Ben wince.

"She what?"

"Please tell me the cap was still on that?"

"Ben!"

"Nail polish."

Lola bent down to retrieve it, moving it out of his reach when he made a grab for it.

"She told me she needed to buy some essentials," Ben started.

"So you merrily packed her off into town with your credit card," Lola replied, completely unsurprised.

"And she knew if I saw that she had spent £50 on tat from that place," Ben pulled a face "I would query it with her, so she told me when she got back,".

"So you knew what she was going to do, and you did nothing to stop her. Not to mention the fact that she lied about needing essentials and went on to blow £50 on cheap Primark underwear,"

"She was fighting sexism. I wasn't going to stop her from doing that. And she didn't lie,"

Lola raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow.

"She didn't lie," Ben insisted. "Not really. That underwear was essential to her plan,".

Lola humphed. "So you just paid for the stuff? And provided an alibi?"

Ben muttered something non-committal.

"Ben," Lola crooned in a sickly sweet voice. "What else did you do?"

"Nothing," the Mitchell man tightened his grip on the steering wheel in agitation.

Lola began to twist the cap off the nail polish. "Tell me.".

"I dropped her off,"

Lola breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, I suppose that's not so...,".

"And distracted the caretaker,".

"Oh for God's sake," Lola brought one hand up in a slow face palm.

"Alright. What would you have done instead, Little Miss Smartypants?".

"I would have contacted the LEA. I DID contact the LEA,".

"That was you?!".

Yes," now it was Lola's turn to be smug.

"The question is, why didn't you?".

"Well, because..." that question had the Mitchell stumped, the unspoken words 'Because it didn't occur to me' hanging in the air between them.

He recovered fairly quickly. "Oh, come on, Lo. Admit it,".

"Admit what?".

"Lexi's way was funnier," Ben replied "Just imagine the look on that sexist git's face when he went into his office,".

Once Lola did imagine it, she couldn't stop laughing.

"Flipping heck," Lola exclaimed, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. "She comes up with a plan like that and she's not even a teenager yet. She is going to be dangerous when she gets older,".

"Well, she has got a double dose of Mitchell genes," Ben pointed out.

"I know," Lola answered. "The world had better brace itself,".


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lexi is about 16 in this chapter. The chapters are going to jump about a bit. In one, she might be 16, in the next she might be 13 etc.

Ben and Lexi had fallen out. Or rather, Lexi had fallen out with Ben. It was very much a one way thing on this occasion, much to their family's amusement. It wasn't Lexi not talking to her dad that Lola/Jay/Callum found hilarious, but the lengths that Ben would go too in order to get back in her good books. 

Ben didn't actually know what he had done wrong on this occasion. Lexi had tried to explain it to him once, but that had just led to him being more confused as to how he had made her angry. However, it had been three days since she had last spoken to him, at least of her own free will, and he knew that he had to fix this because it was driving him mad. Normally, the two of them couldn't stay mad at each other for more than ten minutes. 

He took a seat on the park bench beside her, completely unsurprised when she sidled along so she was sat at the far end, leaving at least one metre between them. Muffling a groan, he set down the large strawberry frostino, complete with extra whipped cream and strawberry sauce that he had sweet talked the barista into putting on, and slid it along the bench torwards her. 

Without even looking up from the fashion magazine she was looking at, the teenager slid it back torwards him. 

Ben was never one to give up easily and moved to push it torwards her a second time. 

"Stop shoving that thing at me," Lexi commanded, turning another page of her magazine. "Unless you want to wear it?"

"Baby, please..." Ben pinched the bridge of his nose. 

"I never imagined that pink would be your colour, but we can always find out," Another page turn. 

"Lex..." this wasn't going well. He needed to find a way of turning this in his favour, and fast. 

"Spa day," 

"A what?" Lexi eyed him over the top of her magazine, curiosity piqued. 

"Spa day. On me," Ben said "That expensive place in town?"

He pulled his wallet out and handed over a number of notes. Lexi stared at them bemusedly.

"This should just about buy me a couple of cucumber slices," she commented dryly. 

Ben readily handed her several more. 

Lexi chewed her lip.

"Actually, this isn't going to work," she said with an air of finality, offering the money back.

"But, why?" Ben cried, crestfallen that his plan to get back in his daughter's good graces was now falling through faster than water through a sieve. 

"It will be no fun on my own," she replied. 

"So take a few mates with you," Ben said because as far as he was concerned it was as simple as that, right? 

Wrong. 

"They are all skint," Lexi muttered. 

Ben sighed and reached for his wallet again. 

"Great. Thanks, Daddy," Lexi said brightly, stuffing the large wad of bank notes into her bag. 

"No problem, baby," Ben answered, slipping his now empty wallet back in his pocket. 

Lexi grabbed the Strawberry Frostino from where it still was on the seat before her and stood up, ready to go and get ready for her spa trip.

"Wait a minute," Ben said firmly, grabbing her elbow and pulling her back down onto the bench before she could dash off without giving him what he desperately wanted.

"What now?" Lexi sighed. 

"Am I forgiven," he asked seriously. 

Lexi responded by throwing her arms arround his neck and letting him pull her close. 

"Love you, princess,"

"Love you too Daddy," 

"I've just seen Ben," Jay said, walking over to where Lola was having a coffee with Frankie "He seemed happier. I take it that Lexi has forgiven him now?" 

"Well, it took him sending her and a bunch of friends off to the spa, armed with a small fortune, but yes, she has forgiven him," Lola replied. 

Frankie raised an eyebrow in surprise "Flipping heck, maybe I need to fall out with Ben," 

Lola chuckled "Ben only reserves that kind of generosity for a select few,". 

"But the little madam told me this morning that she wasn't angry with him anymore. Why did he have to pay for a spa day if he was already forgiven," Jay asked, brow furrowing in confusion. 

Lola laughed smugly. 

"It is every daughter's right to not let her besotted, hapless father know that he is forgiven until she has properly fleeced him," 

"You women are evil, you know that?" Jay said as Lola and Frankie pretty much cackled with laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Ben. Such a gullible idiot when it comes to his princess. But you know what they say, ignorance is bliss.


End file.
